Autoline Daily - Audio

The Chinese auto industry has been growing by leaps and bounds the last several years and as a result automakers are investing heavily in the country. Acura has some cool new technology in the RLX that will make the ride inside the car quieter. SRT pulled the wraps off its track edition of the Viper, called the TA, which stands for time attack. All that and more, plus Autoline Daily correspondent Seamus McElroy takes a look at the 2014 Chevrolet Impala.

Chinese companies that were interested in acquiring or taking a stake in Fisker are backing out of negotiations. The most iconic race track in Germany is up for sale. Cadillac will debut a new V6 engine and 8-speed transmission for the upcoming CTS. All that and more, plus Autoline Daily correspondent Seamus McElroy takes us for a walk around the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe.

Toyota is creating a new China-only brand that will build low-cost and alternative-fuel vehicles. Cellulosic ethanol has not caught on, due to its high price, but that could change soon. It looks like Volkswagen’s Tennessee facility could be the first transplant with union representation. All that and more, plus host John McElroy gives his insight into the global race going on amongst car companies to lock up the supply chain for carbon fiber.

China has sought to dominate EV technology, but the electric car market has been a flop in the country. Volkswagen’s Chief Executive says the company will build a minimum of 10 assembly plants in the years to come. A report out of Europe says automakers use tricks to boost their fuel efficiency and lower CO2 ratings that border on cheating. All that and more, plus host John McElroy answers some of your questions and comments in this week’s edition of You Said It!

Henrik Fisker abruptly resigned from the car company he started after unspecified disagreements with the executive management team. International, the big truck maker, now offers the Transtar Class 8 semi that runs on CNG. Pollution continues to be a problem in China, and the country has a plan to get the highest polluting cars off the road. All that and more, plus we take a look at how fish behavior is helping Nissan develop its autonomous technology.

BMW is beating Audi as the number one luxury automaker in the world and now it just won another battle with its German rival. Mitsubishi saw one of the largest gains in the American market last month. Hyundai announced that it will sell its hydrogen-fuel-cell electric vehicle, called the ix35, in the U.S. All that and more, plus we get up close and personal with Mazda’s first diesel race car.

China is offering more generous subsidies to customers that buy EVs, and it’s not just the central government offering them. One of the worlds largest oil and gas companies says diesel will be the number 1 fuel by 2020. Cadillac has really started the year with a bang. But the sales gain is coming exclusively from two new models. All that and more, plus we take a walk around the exterior of the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the head of Jeep design.

Over the last several years, automakers boosted car sales globally thanks to explosive growth in emerging markets, but now some of those markets are starting to cool down. In an effort to boost electric vehicle sales, Nissan is making some management changes. Ford announced the introduction of two all-new Transit models. All that and more, plus John McElroy gives his insight on how a former GM exec ended up on the board of directors at Toyota.

One of the former executives from the old General Motors lands a big job. The Ford Mustang is getting a 4-cylinder engine …again. For the first time in 35 years, iconic sports car brand Alpine will be returning to endurance racing. All that and more, plus Autoline Daily correspondent Seamus McElroy takes us for a few laps around Austin Texas’ brand new Formula 1 track in the 2014 Grand Cherokee SRT.

General Motors CEO Dan Akerson touts the company’s research and development. New vehicle sales in the U.S. market are one of the truly bright spots in the American economy right now, but last month the sales growth came exclusively on the truck side. Acura’s Precision All-Wheel Steering, or PAWS is the first system to feature independent and continuous control of the left and right-wheel steering angles. All that and more, plus guest host Murray Feldman gives his thoughts on how automakers can do a better job of winning over customers.

The UAW is holding a press conference near the Geneva auto show today as part of its effort to ramp up its organizing effort at Nissan’s assembly plant in Mississippi. Fueled by higher gas prices, sales of hybrids, plug-ins and electrics enjoyed a strong February in the American market. For the second straight year Toyota President Akio Toyoda overhauled the top management positions at the company’s North American operations. All that and more, plus John McElroy gets to your questions and comments in this week’s edition of You Said It!

General Motors takes the wraps off the convertible version of the 2014 Corvette Stingray. Kia reveals a small sleek looking hatchback called the provo. Ferrari finally gives us a look at the successor to the Enzo, the LaFerrari. All that and more, plus today’s host Christie Schweinsberg takes a look at a few of the models that have impressed her for this year’s Ward’s 10 Best Interiors award.

Car sales in the American market were strong in February. In hopes of boosting sales of its K9 luxury sedan, Kia has come up with a sales gimmick to bring in new customers. Coda, the EV startup company, just closed the showroom doors at its LA store. All that and more, plus we take a walk-around of the 2014 Mazda6 with one of its designers.

You’d think that they’d be happy just to have their jobs, but hourly workers at Chrysler are protesting a change in shifts at some of the company’s assembly plants. Supplier company Continental is teaming up with BMW to develop autonomous technology further. Toyota is showing off the concept of the convertible version of the FT-86, what they call the Open. All that and more, plus at the Autoline Supplier Symposium we found one of the biggest problems that suppliers face now is they’re straining to meet demand, they can barely keep up with car sales.

Reports are out that several hundred of Nissan’s factory workers in Smyrna, Tennessee met with the United Auto Workers this week at a local hall. GM is boosting plug-in production as it believes that demand for its extended range electric vehicles is going to grow this year. After 75 years in the automotive business, Toyota marks the milestone with a fully interactive timeline. All that and more, plus we take a look at Visteon’s vision of what cars and the technology they’re equipped with will be like in the year 2020.